Fire and Whiskey
by Craft Rose
Summary: Draco finds himself living a Muggle lifestyle, up to and including purchasing a smartphone and using a dating app made for Muggle-borns and Half-bloods. There, he stumbles upon the profile of the last witch he had ever expected to find. (Inspired by one of my earlier works, Vibrations. Also inspired by Tinder lmao).
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_ Hope you like it!

* * *

Draco glanced down at the Muggle device as a notification popped up on the screen, the mixed ambiance of rain and crackling fire logs fading deep into the background of his private residence. He had only just figured out how to use the damned thing and it was already vibrating harder and louder than any device his ex-girlfriend, Pansy Parkinson, had ever used.

With a reluctant sigh, he lowered the volume on his television and grabbed his smartphone from the coffee table, holding it right up to his face and staring at the notification as if it had been sent to him in a foreign language.

 _Thank you for joining eMatchic! Your adventure awaits._

The bloke at the phone shop had insisted that Draco sign up for _eMatchic_. It was apparently all the rage amongst Muggle-borns and Half-bloods. Anyone who lived any semblance of a Muggle life, really. In all honesty, Draco had forgotten all about it. The entire concept was a little sterile for his personal tastes. He preferred meeting his partners the old fashioned way. But he had to admit, after having his wand taken away and his Healer license revoked, he had really, truly lost the will to show his face in public.

He barely remembered the last time he had gone on a date, let alone had sex.

On somewhat of a whim, he propped his legs up on the coffee table and leaned back comfortably, punching his passcode into the phone and tapping the _eMatchic_ icon to see for himself what all the fuss was about.

The actions were simple enough. Swipe left if they're a minger and swipe right if they're not, as Phone Shop Bloke had so eloquently described. In most ways it was rather barbaric, but it wasn't much different than real life, he supposed. In the old days it was as simple as walking into a pub on a Friday night and chatting up the most beautiful witch there. At least on the app, there was the option of viewing ages and interests and political views.

To his surprise there were quite a few attractive witches floating about on the app. Most were either too young or too old and most appeared to be looking for something serious, but there was this one … a Muggle-born witch whose photo had made his heart skip the second he saw it. The only time in his life where he remembered having that kind of reaction was in his fourth year, the first time he had laid eyes on Fleur Delacour. Granted, this Muggle-born was nowhere near Delacour in terms of looks, but that wasn't the point.

He had seen her before.

In fact, he had seen her nearly everyday for the larger part of his adolescence.

 _Hermione Granger_

 _Age: 28_

Draco zoomed in on the photo as if to verify that it was really her. In it, she was seated outside of a café in Paris, breaking off a piece of a pastry while smiling for the photo. Judging by the angle, someone else had taken it. _Weasley?_ Last he checked, they were still together. They could very well have broken up for all he knew, but there was a stronger chance that some random person was only pretending to be her.

He imagined the real Granger hadn't the time to go on dating apps and browse for hookups.

 _Isn't she too busy saving the world?_

On yet another whim, he decided to do some investigative work. With a mouthful of firewhiskey burning the back of his throat, Draco swiped right on the obviously fake Hermione Granger, and then swiftly redirected his attention to the television, waiting all of thirty minutes before a second notification popped on his phone.

 _Congratulations! You have a new match on eMatchic._

Draco returned from the kitchen with his first refill of firewhiskey, having half expected his little investigation to have gone nowhere. Only mildly interested in seeing what the imposter had to say, he plopped down on his couch and lazily grabbed his phone, opening _eMatchic_ to find that someone else had matched with him. An older witch from Belfast. Julie something or other.

Ignoring the twitch of disappointment in his stomach, he tossed his phone away and raised the volume on his television, trying his absolute best to pay attention to whatever the fuck was going on in Winterfell. He had to admit, the Muggle interpretation of fantasy worlds and magic, had always interested him to some degree. Although there were no Tyrion Lannister's or Ned Stark's in real life, there were more than a few Littlefinger's. Also, for some inexplicable reason, he had always felt a sense of familiarity when watching Joffrey's early scenes, though he couldn't for the life of him figure out how or why.

It was only as he fell deep into storyline, that his phone vibrated again.

 _Congratulations! You have a new match on eMatchic._

For a split second he considered ignoring it. There was a good chance it was just another random match, probably with that witch from London, the mental image of her long, flowing auburn hair tipping him so close to the edge of no return that he really had no choice but to check.

Immediately grabbing his phone, he opened the app for the third time, ready to send Rachel from London a line, only to feel his stomach lurch. Instead of long, flowing auburn hair, he found soft, curly chestnut hair, and instead of Rachel, he found Granger.

 _It's not her. It can't be her._

There was no conceivable way the real Granger would have swiped right on him. More than ever he felt this person was an imposter. They had to be. With another mouthful of firewhiskey, Draco leaned forward utterly focused and typed the first message he could think of.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _How many people do you fool on a daily basis?_

Within thirty seconds, his phone vibrated in the palm of his hand, a response waiting for him.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I beg your pardon?_

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I'm nowhere near drunk enough to play along. Do the right thing and delete the account. Posing as someone else will get you nowhere._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Funny that you of all people should mention doing the right thing._

Lifting an eyebrow at the sheer disrespect, Draco knocked back another mouthful of firewhiskey, typing the first thing he could of.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I see you've been reading The Daily Prophet. Well done! Ten points to Gryffindor … or whatever Hogwarts House the real you was sorted into._

There was something about the tone of their messages which screamed Slytherin, but they could just as easily have been a Ravenclaw with no social skills.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Ah, yes. News of your malpractice has made the front page for two straight weeks. Finally you're getting the attention you've always wanted. At the expense of your Healer license, but still. Go you._

This time he actually did roll his eyes.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Who are you to judge? If you're going to pretend to be someone else on a dating app, aim lower._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _What is that supposed to mean?_

Finishing off the rest of his drink, Draco leaned back, stretching the kinks out of his neck.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Well, for one, I'm quite sure she's still in a relationship with Ron Weasley. If you want to really fool people, you should have gone with someone else, like Luna Lovegood or Ginny Weasley. They're known and attractive enough to get you the attention you're looking for, but they're nowhere near Granger level._

Before he had so much as set his phone down, he felt it vibrate.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _That sounds dangerously close to a compliment._

His lips hovered on the edge of a smirk.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I may be judgmental but I'm not blind._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I suppose that's your backwards way of saying she's pretty._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _She's not completely undesirable._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Somehow, I had always sensed that you were secretly attracted to her._

His eyebrows bounced up.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Ah, so you know her? That adds a whole new layer to this investigation._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _As a matter of fact I know her quite well._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Well enough that you would pretend to be her on a dating app while she's still in a relationship?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _She and Ron aren't together anymore._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I'm going to need proof._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _It's all over The Daily Prophet. He's dating Tracey Davis now. One of your friends, I believe?_

With a curious twitch in his gut, Draco grabbed the latest copy of _The Daily Prophet_ , shocked to find that the imposter was right. Weasley was dating Tracey. Not only dating, but engaged to marry.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Odd that he would get engaged so quickly after a breakup._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I don't disagree._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _You don't think Granger's going through enough? Why pretend to be her on top of everything?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Careful now. If I didn't know any better, I'd fool myself into thinking you might actually care._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _What makes you think I don't?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _You're a Malfoy._

Cracking his first smile in weeks, he lifted his legs onto the couch, spreading across.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Fair enough. So besides the malpractice and my being an overall asshole, what else do you know about me?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I know that you were once in a very tumultuous relationship with Pansy Parkinson, I know that another imposter once transfigured you into a ferret in your fourth year of school, and I know that you smuggled those ingredients into the country in order to brew a very specific potion. A potion that heals all wounds, all scars and all markings that are better left unseen._

His smile quickly faded.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Careful now. If I didn't know any better, I'd fool myself into thinking you actually_ are _Hermione Granger._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _What if I am?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I would first ask why you swiped right on me._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _And I would say that I swiped right because I was curious … in a few different ways._

Something in his chest gently twisted.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Like?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Well, it's not everyday you find purebloods on eMatchic. That, and I was curious to see if you had swiped right on me, which you had, but only because you think I'm an imposter._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Aren't you?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _That depends._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _On?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Would you have swiped right otherwise?_

He thought about it for a long moment, the answer creeping its way through his subconscious.

On the one hand, he had neither seen nor spoken to Granger since they were in school, and there was still a good chance he was talking to an imposter. But on the other hand … he felt good. Not just because of the firewhiskey. He felt truly _good_. And the more thought about it, the less he wanted to know.

When had _knowing_ ever done anyone any good?

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Regardless of who you are, this is the most I've talked to anyone in weeks._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _We probably shouldn't ruin it, then._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Probably._

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** What do you think so far?


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:**_ Sorry for the wait!

* * *

Hermione stumbled through the bathroom door, the music from the main part of the pub echoing inside as she glanced up, into the mirror above the sink. Naturally, she looked a mess. A few of her coworkers had invited her out for a drink at the new pub in Diagon Alley, and although she normally wasn't one to go out drinking in the middle of the night, she decided, that night, she would have fun and let loose for a change.

It was all part of the 'say yes night' that Ginny had suggested to her at lunch the other day.

 _Instead of moping about at the office or at home in your empty flat, go out and just say yes. To all that comes your way,_ the younger witch had said. _You'll thank me later._

She wasn't sure why she had agreed to do it. All she knew was that she had said yes to two shots, two pints of Guinness and a drunken rendition of 'I Want You' by Savage Garden, not to mention the fact that she had agreed to go on a date with a Canadian wizard whom she had only just met, and who was staying in London until the end of the week. Daniel something or other. She wasn't sure as to his actual name, only that he was tall, handsome and blatantly in search of a one-off.

Although she normally said no to such things, she felt she owed it to herself to give it a go, just this once. Ginny had dated loads of different blokes before settling down with Harry. In fact, they all had. Hermione was the only one in her group who'd been with just one person. Ron.

 _I did kiss Viktor that one time,_ she recalled, facing screwing after. _Obviously doesn't count._

She glanced down at her phone to check the time, her stomach twisting at the sight of yet another _eMatchic_ notification.

 _You've had thirty-five visitors this week on eMatchic!_

In large part she had neglected to use the app, having initially joined with the hopes of meeting someone — for one night, even — but her prospects were lacking. Ginny had been nice about it, suggesting the men on the app were likely intimidated by her. After all, Hermione Granger was a household name.

That in mind, Hermione scrolled through her messages, having only received a few since she had joined. The first message had come from a slightly older wizard called Ciaran. He lived quite a ways from London, but he seemed lovely, so she gave him a try, quickly learning that he was in fact _married_ and had two young children. Suffice to say, it didn't work out. The second message had come from a slightly younger wizard who was based in Paris, but who visited London often. He was called Liam and he worked in fashion. Again, he was lovely at first, but the very moment he asked her if she was a 'good little sub' the conversation had come to a swift and abrupt end.

The third message, and perhaps the most unsettling of them all, had come from the guy who had bullied her for nearly six straight years.

She read through the messages they had exchanged, ignoring the anxious twitch in her stomach. For whatever reason, he had assumed that she was an imposter. Sure, it was a little strange of her to be on a dating app, given that she was a household name and all, but she was in need of a little love just like everyone else.

With a few lazy flickers of her thumb, she began looking through his photos, halting on the third one. There was nothing particularly eye-catching about it, nor about him in it. He was simply posing in front of a mirror, flash on, every little fleck coming to light as if it were snowing in his apartment. She laughed to herself, accidentally tapping the photo, which, to her complete horror, had sent him a _like_.

 _No!_

 _No!_

 _NO!_

They hadn't said a word to each other all week, and there she was, liking one of his photos in the middle of the night like a complete and utter creep.

 _I'm_ such _an idiot._

 _Why am I_ such _an idiot?_

Fumbling with her phone in the few seconds that followed, a jolt of shock went through her as she felt it vibrate in the palms of her hands.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _You're up late._

She gulped down on the lump in her throat, at a loss for what to do. For all she knew, Malfoy had taken screenshots of everything. What would the world think of her? She hadn't the privilege of messaging all sorts of boys late at night. She was Hermione-fucking-Granger.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Sorry, that was an accident._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I'll be going now._

She couldn't see his face, but she was sure he had smirked at that. He smirked at everything. Always.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Admit it, Imposter._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _You were checking me out._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _And I don't blame you._

Staring dully at his replies, she scrunched her mouth into a frown.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _You're awfully confident for someone who can't take a photo to save his life._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I'll have you know those mirror flecks are a work of art._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _If you squint a little, you can actually see the constellation that I was named after._

There was no way that was at all true. In her right mind, she knew that. But for some reason, she simply had to check. Her curiosity had only grown stronger with age. With one look at the photo, she snorted to herself, her stomach lurching as she accidentally hit _like_ — AGAIN.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _This night just keeps getting better._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I'm never going to live this down, am I?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Absolutely not, imposter._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Still with this imposter business._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Of course._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _The real Granger wouldn't be so generous with her likes._

This time, she was the one who smirked.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _What makes you think she wouldn't like you?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Well, I did bully the girl for years._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _You don't think she's moved on?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I think she knows better._

Lifting an eyebrow, she contemplated what to say next.

On the one hand, he was right. She should have known better than to engage in conversation with the likes of him. But on the other hand, she was older now, and she had enough life experience to realize things weren't always as they seemed.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _What if she doesn't?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Wait a second._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Are you flirting with me?_

She rolled her eyes, smiling nonetheless.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I'm just having a conversation._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _You remember what those are like, don't you?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Vaguely._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _How are you? Tell me about your day. This rain is relentless._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Is that good?_

Her lips twitched into a laugh.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _If you're talking to your mother, yes._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _What sorts of things would you rather I say?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _That I find you ravishing in that cardigan? Is that what people do on this app?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _You're asking the wrong person._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Oh?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Go on._

Sighing, she decided to just go for it.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _First, I haven't met anyone interesting on this app who isn't married or interested in 'good little subs'. Second, I'm currently hiding in the bathroom at some random pub that I can't remember the name of, whilst my coworkers are out there, most likely talking about me, and about how sad it is that my ex-boyfriend — whom they had all met when we were together — is now engaged to marry another woman, no more than a few months after the break up. Third, I'm quite sure my 'say yes night' has resulted in a one-off that I'm not certain I want to take part in anymore._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _First, you'd probably have an easier time on here if you weren't The Chosen One's best friend. Either they're too intimidated or they say whatever horrible things come to mind, so at least you remember them._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Second, your coworkers are definitely talking about you. Everyone does. Constantly._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Third, there's no rule out there that says you have to engage in one-off's after a bad breakup. If it's not something you want, don't do it._

Surprisingly, she agreed with most of what he had said.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Also, what in Salazar's name is a 'say yes night'? It sounds like a good way to end up at the bottom of a lake._

She snorted.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _It's a night where you have to say yes to everything._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _That sounds stupid._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _What if someone asks you to torch the pub down? You'd do it?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _That is the name of the game._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Well, in that case …_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Why don't you send me a photo of yourself?_

Her face screwed.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _So ... that came off creepier than I had intended._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I just want to know if you're the real Granger._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I thought you decided I wasn't._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Now's the time to find out._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Well, I suppose I have no choice, then._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Get to it, imposter._

Given that it was 'say yes night', and given that she was tired of being called an imposter, Hermione ignored the anxious twitch in her stomach and held her phone out, snapping three photos in a row — all of which had turned out badly. With a few clicks and swipes, she blurred out the puffiness under her eyes, and whitened her teeth a little, not that she needed it. She simply had fun editing. The technicalities had always interested her.

 _Yes, the technicalities_ , she said to herself. _No reason beyond that._

Examining it one last time, she opened the text conversation between her and Malfoy, and with a split second of hesitation, she sent it.

There was no word from him.

He started typing a couple of times, but he ultimately said nothing. She wasn't sure what to make of that. Was the photo that bad? He'd definitely seen her in worse states. Before she had learned to manager her hair and apply makeup, and use a Quill without getting smudges all over her face and hands.

 _Surely, he's not going to leave me hanging like this._

Swallowing the lump of doubt in her throat, Hermione stared blankly at the screen, jumping back a little as he finally replied.

Not with words, but with a photo of his own.

Her cheeks prickled as she glanced down at it. Him, relaxing on a balcony of some sort, with perhaps the most beautiful view of London she had ever seen, in the background. _Was he always this … handsome?_ She refused to give it more than a second of thought, glancing into the mirror one last time before grabbing her clutch and heading out, the soft, unexpected vibrations of her phone, forcing her to look down.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Mine was unedited._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Just so you know._

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N:_ ** Sorry this took so long. Hope you like it!

* * *

Hermione left the pub in a hurry, dashing to the convenience shop down the street, and under the overhang as it started to rain. Suffice to say, her date with Thomas from Wiltshire had _not_ gone well. He'd seemed nice enough on the app. Smart, funny, kind. The second they had met for drinks, though ... he had revealed to Hermione his true colours.

First, his photographs on the app were astoundingly out of date.

Second, he'd jokingly used the word Mudblood within seconds of meeting her.

Third, he genuinely could not have made it more obvious that he'd only asked her out hoping, in turn, that she would introduce him to Luna.

 _I can't believe I shaved above the knee for him_ , Hermione thought to herself in disbelief, pulling her phone out specifically to block his number.

Her face twisted in disgust when she saw that she had an _eMatchic_ notification. _If Thomas thinks I'm ever going to talk to him again …_ Exhaling deeply, she punched in her passcode, and opened the app, a quick tug in her chest when she saw a different name than she had expected.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Hey._

She wasn't sure what to make of that.

For whatever reason, they'd gone three days without saying a word to each other. It was a bit odd that he'd message her so casually like this, but she figured there wasn't much to it. Perhaps he'd just been busy.

Popping into the convenience shop, she typed a response.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Hey._

Within seconds he replied.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _How's your night?_

She made her way to the back of the shop, the door chimes growing quiet as she nodded hello to the owner.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _It could be better._

She figured there was no point in trying to pretend she was having a good night.

It wasn't particularly bad by any means. She still had that container of ice cream, and a full bottle of wine at home. Not to mention a few new books to read in the bath. Within an hour at the most, she was sure that she was going to forget all about Thomas from Wiltshire.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Have they run out of your favourite Quills at Scribbulus Writing Implements?_

She snorted.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I order my Quills from Sweden now, thanks very much._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Fancy._

 _So, what's got you in a mood then?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I wouldn't say I'm in a mood._

 _I just … didn't have the best time on my eMatchic date tonight._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Ahh. That explains it._

There was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _What do you mean?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Well, you've always been remarkably bad at dating, haven't you?_

Snorting, she typed the first thing that came to mind.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _That's funny coming from the bloke who thought it wise to date two girls, both in Slytherin and both in the same group of friends, at the same time, assuming they'd never find out._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _To be fair, I wasn't officially dating either of them._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _What were you doing?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _What do you think? lol_

She rolled her eyes.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Okay, so why am I remarkably bad at dating then?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Ron Weasley._

 _That's all I'm going to say._

Her lips twitched into a smirk.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Well, if you're so good at dating, why are you on eMatchic?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I could ask you the same question._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _You could but you won't._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Why's that?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _The answer might scare you._

Consciously lifting her gaze after, she grabbed a few things from the shelves. Drinks, snacks, etc. It was only as she made her way to the front, waiting behind an elderly man, that she dared check the app for a reply.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Nothing scares me._

 _Apart from the idea of waking up as a ferret, of course._

She chuckled to herself.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Well, I'm not looking for a relationship if that answers your question._

There was a tingling sensation along her fingertips as she pressed send.

Without waiting for a response, she glanced ahead, nodding hello to the shop owner and paying for her things in the seconds that followed.

Much to her relief, she'd managed to grab a cab rather quickly afterward.

Climbing into the backseat, she gave the driver her address, and buckled in, her attention shifting slowly to her phone as she felt it vibrate inside her coat.

Her cheeks flooded with heat as she read the message.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Unless you're looking for someone to knit with, I can name at least a dozen different men and women who would free climb the highest peak of the tallest mountain in the world if they could fuck you once they reached the top._

Hovering on the edge of that, she chewed on her bottom lip in thought, quietly typing a response in the backseat of the cab as the surrounding buildings and city lights blended together.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _That's too bad for them._

 _I prefer the top for myself, actually._

She immediately flipped her phone over after, laughing to herself in quiet disbelief over what she had just said.

And to whom.

Only as the driver pulled up to the curb of her building, accepting her payment and wishing her a good evening as she climbed out, did Malfoy respond.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I'm sure they'd prefer you that way as well._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Which way?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Top, bottom, left, right._

 _Whichever way you like, Imposter._

She smirked.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific, Ferret._

Hurrying up to her flat, she murmured a quick _Alohomora_ under her breath, and kicked her shoes off at the front door, eyes glued to her phone as she made her way to the kitchen.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _How specific?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Make me believe it._

Quickly and without missing a beat, Hermione poured herself a glass of wine, taking to the living room as Malfoy replied.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _If given the chance, I'm sure any number of those people would give you a night you wouldn't soon forget._

 _Press you up against the back shelf of the Ministry archives, perhaps._

 _Spread you across the growing stack of case files on your desk._

 _Take you to the café in your photo and convey every sinful thing they want do to you in just one look._

 _Whisper it in your ear on the ride home._

 _Kiss you senseless the second you walk through the door._

 _Tear through the buttons on your top and grab handfuls of your perfectly shaped breasts._

 _Unhook your bra so fast, it's if you never had it on in the first place._

 _Tease your nipples until they're flushed and tender._

 _Slide a hand down your body._

 _Tug your knickers to the side and lick you out the way they said they were going to in the cab._

 _Keep going even after you come._

 _Stop only when you beg them._

 _Carry you to the couch where you're sitting right now and fix a watchful, attentive look on you as you tug and yank at and unbutton every layer of clothing they have on._

 _Run their hands through the roots of your hair as you climb on, straddling them on the couch, driving them mad with how sexy you are._

 _Mark your neck as you finally push down on them, taking in every inch so fast you lose your bearings for a second._

 _Give you a good, proper fuck._

Hermione simply blinked, her wine glass slipping an inch through her fingers as she sat there, on the very couch that came to mind in the details he'd painted for her.

Reading the last line again, she felt something tingle down below.

There was no point in checking.

She already knew she was … aroused.

By the fifth line, she'd nearly bit a hole through her bottom lip.

 _How is any of this happening right now?_

Knocking back the rest of her wine, she gulped it all down, anxiously looking to her phone as he added one last thing.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _That's what they would do to you, Imposter._

 _I, on the other hand, would prefer we knit._

Her mouth fell open.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ lmao


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N:_ ** This is a short one. But I hope you like it!

* * *

His eyes fell shut, the muted rumble of the train filling the silence in his compartment as he tried to clear his thoughts.

It was only a matter of time before he arrived at Hogsmeade for the interview. Deep down there was part of him that felt as though he had hit the lowest point imaginable for having even applied for the position of Potions Master. Although he had always had the utmost respect for his Potions Masters at school, he'd also imagined more for himself in his own career.

Suffice to say it was a miracle he'd even landed the interview.

He should have been thrilled, and in large part he was, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this was his last chance.

 _If I fuck this up, I'm truly done for._

Throat clenching with nervous anticipation, he'd hardly felt it when his phone had vibrated with a new message. In fact he'd nearly left the device at home, thinking he'd have had no use for it in the castle.

But of course, there was still the train journey to consider.

With a few quick taps and swipes, he opened _eMatchic_ to find a message from Granger.

Or as he liked to call her, Imposter.

His lips hovered on the edge of a smirk as he thought briefly of their last exchange.

In part he'd expected never to hear from her again, due to embarrassment if nothing else, but she had always managed to shoot above his expectations, even in school.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Are you awake?_

With one look at the time to find that it was ridiculously late, he couldn't help but wonder what had spurred those three short words.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Fun fact._

 _I'm always awake._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _What are you, some sort of ghost?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _That depends._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _On?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Do you like ghosts?_

There was a twitch of laughter in his throat as he pressed send.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _So sorry._

 _I prefer warmblooded men of the living, breathing variety._

Sparing a moment to think after he'd read that, he realized very quickly that he had the chance to steer this conversation one of two ways.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Surely you're looking for more than just that._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _That depends._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _On?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Are you referring to romance or sex?_

He narrowed his eyes in thought.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Why not both?_

Curiously, her reply took a little longer this time.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I suppose in both circumstances, I prefer men who know what they're doing._

He'd imagined nothing less.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _In that case, I should probably tell you that I don't actually know how to knit._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Lol git._

 _What are you doing at this time of night anyway?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _If you must know, I'm currently aboard the Hogwarts Express._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Oh._

 _Popping into Hogsmeade for a visit?_

Scrunching his mouth to the side, Draco contemplated whether it was a good idea to tell her.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I'm going in for a job interview, actually._

 _There's an opening at Hogwarts as of this term._

 _Potions Master._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Oh, that's right._

 _Slughorn has finally stepped down, hasn't he?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Not a moment too soon._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Well, I'm sure you'll get the job._

 _You always did have a knack for potion making._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Let's hope McGonagall feels the same way._

 _It's a miracle that she's even agreed to an interview._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Malfoy, you do realize the vast majority of us are on your side, don't you?_

 _Anyone with the slightest shred of sense can see that you had only the purest of intentions._

There was a twitch of surprise along his bottom lip.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Do you think so?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I know so._

 _Don't let it go to your head … it's just, you've clearly changed._

 _The fact that you're on a dating app of all things, proves just how deep of a change it is._

He smiled to himself, faintly.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I'm touched you feel that way, Imposter._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Not a problem at all, Ferret._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _So, now that we've discussed my excuse for being up and about at this time of night, what's yours?_

Again, she took time to respond.

The heat from the phone tickled his hand as he waited, scrolling through her photographs without quite meaning to. She really had changed since he'd last seen her. Although she had always been one of the more desirable girls at school, she'd certainly grown into her looks in the years since.

It was either that or he simply looked at her differently now.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Do you really want to know?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Of course._

With a slight pause, she replied.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I was going to ask if you were interested in meeting for a pint._

 _Perhaps putting action to what you had said the other night._

He was frozen for a moment, staring down at the last bit for a good few seconds.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I assume you're not referring to the suggestion that we knit._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _No_.

 _I was referring to what you had said before that._

 _The bit where you described a good, proper fuck in shocking detail._

There was something about the tone of it that led him to believe she was completely serious, and that if he'd chosen a later date for the interview, he could possibly have been pressing her against the wall of her lounge, popping the buttons from her top and running his tongue down her body.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I've never had a man speak to me that way before._

 _I have to admit, I quite liked it._

Somehow that didn't surprise him. What did surprise him, was the fact that she had actually admitted it.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Which part did you like most?_

She typed and retyped for a few seconds before finally pressing send.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _The part where I lose my bearings for a second._

 _Is it strange that when I close my eyes, I can almost feel it?_

Suddenly he realized what she was playing at, and that his body had started to react to her words in ways he didn't think possible through text. If she wanted to play that game, he was more than ready to prove to her that he was better at it.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I imagine it's a tight fit._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _What else do you imagine?_

He licked his lips without knowing.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I imagine you're quite a bit more expressive than you think you are._

 _But that's only when you're with someone who knows what they're doing._

 _When to be gentle and when to bite._

For a split second he was worried that he had taken it just a notch too far, the possibility of which was swept away the moment she replied.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _If I asked you to bite hard, would you do it?_

Merlin.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I'd bring tears to your eyes, Imposter._

A beat of silence followed.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Is it bad that I like the sound of that?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Only in the best way._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I've never actually been bitten anywhere other than my bottom lip before._

 _I'm curious to know what it feels like in other places._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Which place comes to mind first?_

There was another beat of silence, wherein he bit his own bottom lip just thinking of her.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I want to say my neck._

 _But I think I'd like it more along my inner thigh._

 _Close enough but far enough away._

Oddly enough, that was exactly the place he'd imagined.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _If I ask you something, will you give me an honest answer?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I'll try._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Are you wet?_

He had to know, because at that very moment he was harder than he cared to admit.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I would tell you to come find out, but I suppose you can't do that tonight._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _You're killing me, Imposter._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I know._

The second that last message had flashed across the screen, the train came to a loud, screeching halt at Hogsmeade Station.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ Lmao isn't texting just the best?


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:**_ Hope you like it!

* * *

Hermione left the office an hour early that day, hurriedly ducking into one of the cafés across the street if only to escape the rain.

To her relief it was both warm and relatively empty inside, the couch near the fireplace, calling to her. Sparing a few moments to order herself a coffee, she peeled off her wet, outer layers and sat near the fireplace, relaxing on her own for what felt like the first time in days.

She took a deep breath, the knots in her stomach slowly unraveling to the beat of the music in the background.

The soft, unhurried rhythm.

Suffice to say she'd suffered a long and exhausting week at the Ministry. What with the wedding invitation she'd received in the post that morning and the fact that the higher-ups had rejected the proposal that she'd spent months pouring her blood, sweat and tears into — she was ready for the weekend. In fact she'd never felt more ready for anything in her life.

Blowing softly on her coffee, Hermione took a sip, allowing the warmth to massage her insides and flush away the stresses that had been weighing down on her that week.

Slowly she felt better. Not necessarily _good_ , but definitely better. Bouncing a look at the time on her phone, she was relieved to find that she had another hour before she had to leave. Harry and Ginny had asked her, along with Neville, to come over for dinner that night, though Neville had been forced to pull out.

Something about a stack of assignments that he'd neglected all week.

Given that he lived and worked at Hogwarts ten months out of the year, she and the others hardly saw him. Sometimes he would visit London for the weekend, but he had really found his passion within those castle walls, and Hermione couldn't have been more thrilled for him.

Only then did she remember that Malfoy had interviewed for a position at the school as well.

Potions Master.

She'd no idea whether he'd landed the job, but she assumed the interview had at least gone well. In the back of her mind she'd always acknowledged his talents both in and out of school. He had apparently made quite the difference at _St. Mungo's_ before his license had been revoked. On the one hand, she understood the board's decision given that Malfoy _had_ in fact broken the rules, but on the other hand, they'd both stripped and turned away the most talented Healer to walk the corridors since Mungo Bonham himself.

Through a bit of light research, Hermione had come to find that Malfoy had not only saved lives during his time at the hospital, he'd also extended his knowledge all over the world, traveling to distant countries and helping in times of need.

In the quiet that followed, she fell even deeper into these thoughts, wondering to herself what he was doing that night … whether he'd returned to London.

She supposed there was just one way to find out, the thought of which had hovered in the back of her mind the past few days, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Surely if he were interested in her in the slightest, he'd have sent her at least one message in the few days since their last exchange. She'd practically asked to have sex with him after all. There was no mistaking the interest on her end.

Scrolling through those last few messages, she couldn't help but take note of the fact that she had taken it a notch higher than him. Not by much but enough for those feelings of embarrassment to sink in. He'd implied she was tight at one point and asked her whether she was aroused towards the end, but she had directly asked him to bite her inner thigh and give her a good, proper fuck.

 _Merlin, what was I thinking?_

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat, quietly tucking her phone away to put an end to the embarrassment, only to feel it vibrate in the palm of her hand.

Without meaning to she bounced a look at the screen.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Any plans tonight?_

She quickly rolled her eyes, annoyed at him for thinking he could message her out of nowhere as though he hadn't left her hanging for three days, and then annoyed at herself for feeling annoyed at all.

Chances are he'd simply been busy.

For all she knew he'd only just returned to London.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Dinner with Harry and Ginny._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Oh, good._

 _They're expecting, aren't they?_

Surprised that he knew, she swallowed a mouthful a coffee, gently setting the cup on the table as she typed a response.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Yeah._

 _Ginny's about five months along now._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I would tell you to give them my best wishes, but I assume you haven't … told them lol._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _That I've been speaking to Draco Malfoy through a dating app for the past two weeks?_

 _No, they haven't the faintest idea lol._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _How do you suppose they would react?_

She gave it a moment of thought.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Ginny would demand to read the messages and then poke fun at me for weeks._

 _Possibly months._

 _Harry … I'm not sure._

 _It could go either way depending on whether he's had a drink._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I'd like to say I don't bite, but …_

Snorting with laughter, Hermione choked on her coffee, a few pairs of eyes in the café bouncing looks in her direction as she hurriedly wiped the dribble from her chin and the collar of her top.

Within moments she replied.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _What's the saying?_

 _Keep your friends close and your ferrets closer._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _You think you're clever, don't you, Imposter?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Oh, I know I'm clever._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _On that note … when can I see you?_

For a moment she hesitated, taken aback even though she shouldn't have been.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I would say now if I hadn't already agreed to dinner Ginny and Harry._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Tell them your inner thighs need biting tonight._

Her mouth fell open, an unexpected rush of laughter in the back of her throat.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _You're terrible._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I know._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I can squeeze you in another night._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Can you really?_

She narrowed her eyes, playfully.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I'll try my hardest if you will._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Harder than you can imagine._

Immediately biting down on her bottom lip, Hermione swiftly tucked her phone into the deepest corner of her bag to keep from saying too much.

In truth she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so aroused just by the thought of someone. The thought of him running his fingers through the roots of her hair and tearing her clothes off in the dark of night … she shifted on the couch a little, rubbing her thighs together for just a second before she forcibly snapped out of it.

Quickly rising to her feet, she gathered her things and nodded in thanks to the barista on her way out.

 ** _Five Hours Later_**

Draco came in through his front door, kicking his boots off and stretching his lips into a yawn as he made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water before bed.

Suffice to say he'd downed a few too many pints at the pub.

For weeks he'd avoided his friends. Blaise, Theo, Astoria, the lot of them. But he'd finally come around that night, having asked them to grab a drink with him at the pub they used to go to.

As for the other girls in the group, he had made a conscious effort to distance himself from them after his and Pansy's disaster of a relationship had come to an abrupt end. Out of respect for her if nothing else. He suspected that was the main reason he'd not been invited to Tracey's wedding.

Apart from the fact that she was marrying Weasley, of course.

 _I did bully the git for years_ , Draco reminded himself. _Not everyone can get past it._

The moment the thought of that had entered his mind, he felt his phone vibrate in his coat pocket.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _As it happens, I can't hold my whiskey._

He glanced down at the message, his lips hanging on the edge of a smirk.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Fun night?_

Within moments she replied.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Always._

 _Ginny can't drink for another few months, so I kindly offered to drink enough the both of us._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _You're a good friend._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I'd like to think so._

 _Anyway, how was your night?_

Pouring himself a glass of water, Draco knocked back a mouthful, leaning against the edge of his kitchen counter as he typed.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I met with Blaise, Theo and Astoria._

 _Told them the good news._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _The good news?_

 _Oh, you got the job!_

 _I knew you would!_

He couldn't help but smile.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Thanks lol._

 _Let's hope I don't embarrass myself._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _You won't._

 _If there's one thing no one can take away from you, it's your talent for Potion Making._

 _Also I'm quite sure you're the youngest Potions Master the school has ever had._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _You might be right about that last bit._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Merlin knows I'd have enjoyed my time in those dungeons had I had a young, frustratingly attractive professor to look at._

There was a twitch of laughter between his lips.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I'd be happy to disentangle those frustrations for you one of these nights._

Although he couldn't see her face he imagined that her eyebrows had bounced up as she had read that. The way they had when she had bumped into him on his way out of Quidditch practice that one time.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I don't know._

 _They're quite deep inside._

He set his glass down, the pale blue glow of his phone dancing across the grey of his eyes.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _How deep?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Deep enough that I can hardly disentangle them myself most nights._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Well, now I'm determined._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I was hoping you'd say that._

Silently making his way to the lounge, he continued to type.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _How deep are your frustrations right now?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Deeper than you can imagine._

His abdomen tightened as he read that.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Believe me, Imposter, my imagination is running wild._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Oh, I know, Ferret._

 _If I were right there in front of you, what would you do to me?_

Hardening at the thought, he managed only to smirk.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Well, I'd fuck you senseless, wouldn't I?_

For a moment she said nothing, simply hanging on the edge of his reply.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _You're quite sure of yourself, aren't you?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _You won't feel an ounce of frustration in your body once I've had you._

 _That much I can assure you, Hermione._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _It's Hermione now, is it?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Yes._

 _I figure if I've got any chance of putting action to my words, I should probably call you by your real name._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I was getting so used to Imposter._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I can't say the same about Ferret lol._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Haha, I don't blame you._

Instinctively bouncing a look at the time, he was surprised to find that was already midnight. Any longer and he knew he'd most likely sleep through his alarm in the morning.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Well, as much as I'd like to continue, I should probably go to bed now._

 _For some reason I agreed to help Blaise with something in the morning._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Yeah, it's quite late, isn't it?_

 _I've got an early meeting._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Any plans for after work?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _No, I don't believe so._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _In that case, why don't we meet for a drink?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I was wondering when you were going to ask lol._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Haha, I was waiting for an opening._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Well, you've certainly found one._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Is that your way of saying you can squeeze me in?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I suppose we'll find out._

 _Enjoy the rest of your night, Draco._

 _I know I will._

Staring at the messages long after, he realized in that moment how deeply he desired her, and how long ago those desires had come to be.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N:_** Hope you like it!

* * *

Biting down on her bottom lip, Hermione hurriedly tucked her phone under her pillow, trying not to stare too long and too hard at the screen as she waited for a reply. She'd suffered a long, tiring day at Auror Office, the arches of her feet still aching from the heels that she had decided to wear to work for no apparent reason other than she felt like trying something new.

Her usual ensemble, which consisted of loose-fitted black robes and sensible, two-inch heels that had proper arch support, just didn't feel right.

Instead she'd opted for the six-inch, black heels that she had hidden in the depths of her walk-in for at least a year since Ginny had convinced her to buy them, a work appropriate but flattering pair of deep red robes that brought out the warm brown of her eyes, and just enough makeup to show that she knew what she was doing.

Nearly every bloke at work had given her a swift, indiscreet double take that morning, as though she had wandered into work in only her knickers, which had just so happened to match perfectly with her robes.

It was only as the hours went on without a word from a certain someone, that she allowed herself to admit where this sudden need to look and feel desirable had come from.

She had heard from someone that Draco Malfoy had been asked to meet with one of the higher ups at the Improper Use of Magic Office, presumably in relation to his Healing license and the malpractice through which it had been revoked. Naturally he'd not mentioned a word of it to her — though she imagined he had other, more important matters to think about, such as the state of his career. Still she had put some extra time into her appearance that morning, subconsciously — okay, maybe not _completely_ subconsciously — hoping that she was going to cross paths with him in the lobby or in one of the long, dimly lit corridors at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement where she happened to work.

To her complete and utter disappointment the only wizard from her past that she had managed to cross paths with that day was Slughorn. Not quite the Slytherin she had hoped to see, but still a nice surprise.

With a deep breath she decided enough was enough, ignoring the anxious twitch in her gut as she swiped her phone out from under her pillow and held it in front of her face, the pale blue glow of it dancing across her eyes as she blinked up at the screen.

A few clicks and taps later and she did the very thing that she had promised herself she wouldn't.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _How was the Ministry today?_

Bit passive aggressive.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she typed out a follow-up message to lighten the tone, but her efforts were brushed aside as his reply came in not a moment later.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Er … you tell me lol._

She narrowed her eyes at that, confusedly.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _You weren't there today?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Not that I can remember._

 _I did have a meeting with one of the higher-ups, but it was rescheduled to next week._

Cheeks burning with embarrassment, she had no idea what to say.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Looks like someone has been keeping tabs on me lol._

 _Unsuccessfully, might I add._

Her stomach lurched.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Oh, don't flatter yourself._

 _It was only something I'd heard in passing._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Lol._

 _Be honest._

 _Were you hoping to see me today, Hermione?_

Yes.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Haha, no._

In truth they'd tried and failed to meet for drinks on three separate occasions that week alone, the most recent time having been her fault. She had been assigned a case in Brighton, a case that had spanned nearly the entire night before she had remembered at eleven o'clock that she had agreed to go for drinks with Draco Malfoy at eight.

Suffice to say she had apologized to him the moment she realized, and although he had reassured her that all was well, she knew better than to believe it.

The fact that he'd not initiated contact with her since, had truly driven that point home.

Setting aside her feelings of embarrassment, she decided to be the grown witch that she knew she was, and communicate.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _And by no, I mean yes._

 _It was a thought._

 _More of a constant, twitching reminder, really._

 _I was half convinced you were done with me._

Her chest clenched as she pressed send on the last message.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _How could I be done with you when we've yet to start?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Good point._

 _Sorry again, about the other night._

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _No need._

 _It was an honest mistake._

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _I don't suppose you'd like to give it another go?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _When were you thinking?_

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _Er … now?_

There was a beat of silence after, wherein she sat up, staring down at the screen as she waited for him to say something.

It was a bit late, but she had no idea when she was going to have another night like this again. No work and no dinner parties, just a relaxing night at home, on her own.

Soon enough his reply had vibrated in the palm of her hand.

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _I was hoping you'd say that lol._

Biting down on her bottom lip again, she tried to think of something to say, typing and retyping a few different responses before settling on the last one.

 _From: Hermione Granger_

 _There's a pub near my flat that's quite good._

 _The Black Rose._

 _Meet me there in … thirty or so minutes?_

 _From: Draco Malfoy_

 _Perfect._

 _I'll see you there._

With that, she kicked the covers off of her body and flew out of bed to get dressed.

 ** _Thirty Minutes Later_**

For a split second she had thought to shrug on the same ensemble that she had worn to work that day, but she swiftly reminded herself that she had suggested a Muggle pub. As good as she might have looked in those form-fitting robes, had she worn them the Muggles at the pub would most likely have regarded her as if she had crash-landed there from another universe, which she supposed was close enough to the truth.

Sparing no more than a second to weave through the crowd and into the bathroom, she took one, hard look at her reflection in the mirror above the sink to make sure not a curl was out of place.

Her hair was down in soft curls, her makeup was light but defined, and her ensemble consisted of a black leather jacket, a loose white top and a tight but comfortable pair of dark blue jeans that she felt were right for the occasion. With a deep breath she gave herself a quick nod in the mirror and then turned around, clutch in hand and each one of her steps punctuated by the nervous rhythm of her heart as she made her way out of the bathroom.

The music in the pub was relaxed, not too loud, and the crowd had thinned a little, revealing one tall, pale-haired wizard hovering by the bar, his back turned.

He was dressed casually, in a pair of fitted black jeans, a dark grey cowl neck, and a black trench coat on top. Were it not for his dark green dragonskin boots, she might have wondered if he were in fact, the right person.

 _Merlin._

 _Has he always looked like that?_

Throat squeezing around her breath, she refocused.

 _Walk._

 _One foot in front of the other, Hermione._

 _You can do this._

Slowly but surely she made her way over to the bar, sitting down a few stools away from him as he gave her a quick double take, much like the men at work that morning. Only this time she felt her cheeks grow warm instead of cold, the anticipation that she had felt all day, suddenly fanning through every inch of her body as she ordered herself a whiskey neat, downing one, quick sip.

The burning sensation lasted only a second or two, taking with it the knots in her chest as she got up, drink in hand, and comfortably made her way over.

Only then did he say something, the faintest trace of laughter on his lips. "I must admit, Imposter … you've done a convincing job."

She smirked. "Is that right?"

"The resemblance is exceptional."

"Only the resemblance?"

He glanced to the brunette, smoothly returning her smirk with one of his own. "For now."

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N:_** Hope you like it!

* * *

She downed a mouthful of whiskey, the rhythmic _th-thump_ of the music in the pub, echoing deep in his chest as he glanced to her from the side, wordlessly. In the quiet of his mind he wondered if she had any idea as to the number of heads that she had managed to turn in the pub that night. Between the fit of her dark blue jeans and the view of her soft, slender and lightly-freckled neck as she slid her jacket off and brushed her curls to the side, he was hard-pressed to find an inch of her body that he didn't want to explore.

It was like the old days in Potions class all over again.

Only this time she wanted him just as badly, and he knew it.

"Do you come here often?" Draco asked, putting an end to the silence that had washed over them in those first few moments.

Running the tip of her tongue between her lips as a drop of whiskey escaped the rim of her glass, Granger nodded. "Usually with Ginny, but she and Harry are expecting, so I've not had a chance to come here in the last little while," she detailed, the dim lighting in the pub dancing across the surface of her warm brown eyes as she glanced his way, a touch hesitant as though for some reason she were nervous. "Erm … what do you say we order another round? To get past the … er … well, the awkwardness."

There was a twitch of laughter behind his lips. "Do you feel that awkward, Granger?"

"A bit," she confessed, pressing her mouth closed to keep from smiling. "Don't you?"

He smiled with his eyes. "I don't know if awkward is the right word for it."

"What _is_ the right word?"

Sparing no more than a moment of thought, he took a quick drink of his whiskey. "Curious."

"Curious?" she repeated, allowing the word to sink in before she uttered a string of her own. "If I ask what you're so curious about, will you tell me?"

"That depends."

"On?"

He glanced to her, a knowing glint in his cool grey eyes. "If I ask why you've been avoiding this, will you tell me?"

Her eyebrows shot up. "Avoiding this? What do you mean?"

"Do I really need to explain?"

For a split second she said nothing, parting her lips only as the bewilderment in her eyes tapered away. "I … suppose I was afraid."

"Of?"

She could easily have brushed it off as she had initially tried to, but in that moment, she chose a different path. There was no mistaking the fact that she had always been on top of things and that she'd not have missed their plans earlier in the week unless some small part of her had intended to. Slowly the truth came out, her cheeks flushed as if she couldn't believe the fact that she was actually saying those words out loud.

"I was … well, I suppose … part of me was afraid of the possibility that you might change your mind about me once we were up close … sitting together in a place like this one," she admitted to him, the silence that followed digging holes through her self-assuredness as she glanced back up at the wizard to find that his eyes hadn't left her.

Without meaning to he laughed, earning a shocked look from the brunette.

"Sorry, was that _funny_ to you?" she inquired, in a voice that he recognized quite well.

He tried to hold it in. "A little."

Completely and utterly taken aback, she looked to him, wide-eyed. "Do you know what? I'm just … I should just … yeah."

Suddenly and without a word of warning, she rose from her seat, hurriedly shrugging her leather jacket back on before pounding the rest of her whiskey in one go and starting towards the door as the wizard looked on in a state of bafflement.

Only as she slammed her empty glass down on the table and walked off, her lip prints still visible along the rim, did he snap out of it.

"Granger, wait!" he blurted, cutting in front of her as the crowd in the pub thickened.

Without glancing up at him for even a second, she kept on her way and tried to cut around, a mix of shock and embarrassment and disdain tugging at her eyes and lips as he stepped in front of her again, blocking her path.

"What?" she snapped, arms folded across her chest as she finally looked to him.

At a loss, he uttered the only words that came to mind in that moment. "I'm sorry for laughing. I didn't mean to react that way," he explained, sincerely. "For what little it's worth, Hermione … I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing at the idea that I could ever change my mind about you so easily."

The music grew louder in the seconds after, during which time she held her position, folding her arms that much harder even though the tightness in her expression faltered a little.

"I meant every word that I said to you in those messages," he furthered, in a steady voice. "Every last word."

Swallowing hard, she released the breath that she had unknowingly held in, her chest falling one second and rising the next. "Prove it."

Within moments the music, the chatter and the clinking pint glasses had all faded deeply into the background, not a sound penetrating the silence between them. Not a sound apart from the sharp intake of breath that had filled Hermione's chest as Draco took her by the hand and guided her through the crowd, giving her no indication as to where they were going or for what reason. Only as they reached the empty, unlit corridor in the back of the pub, did he let go of her hand and turn towards her, the grey of his eyes communicating every word that he had neglected to say.

On instinct she pressed her back against the wall, her eyes having already fallen shut and her lips already wet and ready for him by the time he had leaned in and kissed her, silencing whatever concerns she may have had in exactly the way she had wanted him to.

Were it not for the group of people that had entered the corridor in the seconds after, they'd have carried on right there the rest of the night, her back flush against the wall and his fingers through the roots of her hair as he kissed her so deeply, she felt it everywhere.

Reluctantly as ever, they pulled away from each other as the group walked past.

Breathless for a moment, he simply looked to her, resisting the urge to lean in again as he asked. "Believe me yet?"

She glanced up at him in the darkness of the corridor, her chest rising and falling inside the white of her top with every breath that she took. "Not even close."

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** Thanks for reading!


End file.
